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7'1" Thon Maker Challeges NBA Eligibility Rules - Wants in on 2016 Draft

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http://www.foxsports.com.au/basketb...t/news-story/f89718fbd39649eb21c75457d7cc78d2

AUSTRALIAN phenom Thon Maker has announced that he’ll bypass college to declare for the 2016 NBA Draft.
The announcement came via the Bleacher Report, with the 2.16m centre explaining his road to North America, before officially announcing that he’ll be declaring for the draft.
“I’ve always been in motion. Every move I make is to get better,” Maker said in his announcement.

“Opportunity has led me around the world, from South Sudan to Australia, where basketball stole me from my first love. A 13-year-old kid they called ‘long body’, I found my calling.

“Sacrifice was necessary, leaving my family for a new family. Next stop: the world stage, where the competition got real. My vision became perfectly clear. Then Canada, a place to focus. A place to build my body, and to spend one more year with my brother.

“Here I am. Still on the move. In pursuit of greatness. I’ll be declaring for the 2016 NBA Draft.”
Maker had been considering the likes of Notre Dame, Arizona State, Kansas, and St. John’s, but with the uncertainty of his NCAA eligibility, he instead chose to enter the coming NBA Draft.

Maker’s guardian, Edward Smith, told Bleacher Report that he believes the 19-year-old will be eligible for the draft, but will still have to wait for the NBA’s approval.

“We believe that Thon has fulfilled the academic requirements to be eligible for the 2016 draft,” Smith told Bleacher Report. “He will apply for the 2016 NBA draft and await approval from the NBA.”

“Thon has been the hardest-working and the most astute kid I’ve coached in my 23 years of coaching,” Smith continued. “I’m happy to have placed him in the position to have this choice.”

NBA Draft rules dictate that a player is only draft eligible if he is 19-years-old and one year removed from high school. With Maker reportedly having graduated in June of 2015, his camp believes that there shouldn’t be an issue.

According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Maker will withdraw from the
upcoming Nike Hoop Summit in order to prepare for the NBA Draft.
Maker will join Ben Simmons as the only Australians likely to be selected with a pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

 
Reminds me of KG coming out of H.S defensively



Love when your bigs talk on defense

Gotta jimmy too


Could end up being a Durant/Garnett hybrid or Jonathan Bender/ Perry Jones 3 but if he's approved, you gotta take him in the lottery. Possibly top 5
 
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I just don't understand why these tall mutherfuckers don't work on lower body leg strength. All that upper body strength and his legs look like twigs.
 
BeatDownRecords said:
He has potential.. NBA speed will destroy him though
Click to expand...
^^^ This. Agreed. Exactly. :yes:

It's easy to dunk on midgets in high school and look like a superstar... But the NBA is filled with grown ass men who are MUCH more athletic (and much taller) than the players he is currently facing. :yes:

I haven't read his 'scouting report' yet... But from all this footage I've seen of Thon, he's 7 foot tall, but doesn't have very many 'post moves' :smh: his footwork in the paint needs a lot of work... and his handle is barely good enough to lose HS-level defenders. :smh:

Personally, I think this kid will get drafted, but he would benefit tremendously from at least 1 or 2 years of college ball (which could extend the 'longevity' of his NBA career).

At 7-foot tall, I doubt he will be crossing over crazy athletic big men for 'uncontested dunks' against guys like... Deandre Jordan, Serge Ibaka, Andre Drummond, Gordon Hayward, Josh McRoberts, DeMarcus Cousins, 'The Birdman' Chris Anderson, or Lemarcus Aldridge to name a few... who are the types of players he will be matched up with, night after night. :smh:

Those guys are way too fast & too strong for him to post up... which means he will have to work hard to 'create his own shot off the dribble'... Or shoot jumpers from the perimeter and hope to get 'hustle points' off busted plays during 'garbage time' on the court. :smh:

He's got an NBA-ready body that needs a little more weight... But he gotta work on a few things which he woulda got better at (in college) if he gonna play in the NBA 'front court':

- Like Dribbling.
- Shot Creation.
- Shooting 'Consistency' from the NBA 3-point line.
- His low post footwork... (while maintaining 'control' of the rock in traffic, in the paint :yes:)
- And finishing around the rim 'without dunking'. :yes: (i.e. Hook shots, finger rolls, floaters, tip-ins, bank shots, reverse layups, etc)

All them wild dunks won't happen as much in the NBA :smh: unless he is a certified BEAST on the blocks, or he gets them in 'transition'. :yes:

For those who disagree.. Watch his highlight clips again. He tends to bobble the ball a lot in tight traffic around the rim... And doesn't make quick, 'decisive' moves in the paint to finish strong... unless he's got a completely uncontested dunk.

And these are only high schoolers that are swiping at the Rock. Not NBA Vets. :smh:

Just saying.
 
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Los+Angeles+Clippers+v+New+York+Knicks+_xbyr8nYUB-l.jpg
 
grownazzblakman said:
^^^ This. Agreed. Exactly. :yes:

It's easy to dunk on midgets in high school and look like a superstar... But the NBA is filled with grown ass men who are MUCH more athletic (and much taller) than the players he is currently facing. :yes:

I haven't read his 'scouting report' yet... But from all this footage I've seen of Thon, he's 7 foot tall, but doesn't have very many 'post moves' :smh: his footwork in the paint needs a lot of work... and his handle is barely good enough to lose HS-level defenders. :smh:

Personally, I think this kid will get drafted, but he would benefit tremendously from at least 1 or 2 years of college ball (which could extend the 'longevity' of his NBA career).

At 7-foot tall, I doubt he will be crossing over crazy athletic big men for 'uncontested dunks' against guys like... Deandre Jordan, Serge Ibaka, Andre Drummond, Gordon Hayward, Josh McRoberts, DeMarcus Cousins, 'The Birdman' Chris Anderson, or Lemarcus Aldridge to name a few... who are the types of players he will be matched up with, night after night. :smh:

Those guys are way too fast & too strong for him to post up... which means he will have to work hard to 'create his own shot off the dribble'... Or shoot jumpers from the perimeter and hope to get 'hustle points' off busted plays during 'garbage time' on the court. :smh:

He's got an NBA-ready body that needs a little more weight... But he gotta work on a few things which he woulda got better at (in college) if he gonna play in the NBA 'front court':

- Like Dribbling.
- Shot Creation.
- Shooting 'Consistency' from the NBA 3-point line.
- His low post footwork... (while maintaining 'control' of the rock in traffic, in the paint :yes:)
- And finishing around the rim 'without dunking'. :yes: (i.e. Hook shots, finger rolls, floaters, tip-ins, bank shots, reverse layups, etc)

All them wild dunks won't happen so much in the NBA :smh: unless he is a certified BEAST on the blocks, or he gets them in 'transition'. :yes:

For those who disagree.. Watch his highlight clips again. He tends to bobble the ball a lot in tight traffic around the rim... And doesn't make quick, 'decisive' moves in the paint to finish strong... unless he's got a completely uncontested dunk.

And these are only high schoolers that are swiping at the Rock. Not NBA Vets. :smh:

Just saying.
Click to expand...


Couldn't have said it better. He was actually playing with lot of meek little kids....

He just look like a grown man playing with boys, which is what he is, when he plays against men he will disappear. He wont even touch the ball.
 
He plays how D.Howard should be playing in the paint but I think he should go to college for at least 2 years it will do two things;make him better as a player or show where he's really at as a player against some of the best players that aren't high schoolers.

I see the talent and his movements for a 7'1 is great in terms on high school but he can get better.His attitude is also good.
 
I was telling people last summer he would never step foot on a college campus. If he didn't reclassify and go to Arizona State he wasn't going. He's already 19 and they're rumors he's even older. Teams like Kentucky and Kansas already knew the deal and stopped recruiting him.

Plus he was being shopped to the highest bidder anyway. He played for a different AAU program every year and went to a different prep school.

vandamation said:
Thon Maker is the truth... And I think he'll be better than Simmons... I'd take him no.1 right now.
Click to expand...

:smh:

Not at all bro. The mixtapes have the world fooled. He's talented, but he hasn't put it all together. It's similar to how Skal is. If you watch him in an actual game he disappears a lot and his motor is so so. One thing is he doesn't really have a position. His size limits him. Who does he guard?
 
He's still a kid... He's got rare skills for a player his size... And he's willing to put in the work.... I have been watching him for a while and he's as good as anybody coming out of college.
 
vandamation said:
He's still a kid... He's got rare skills for a player his size... And he's willing to put in the work.... I have been watching him for a while and he's as good as anybody coming out of college.
Click to expand...

You're going to have to hope he helps you by year three.

I'd rather take Dunn or Murray. They're more ready to come in and help a team now.
 
Complex said:
I was telling people last summer he would never step foot on a college campus. If he didn't reclassify and go to Arizona State he wasn't going. He's already 19 and they're rumors he's even older. Teams like Kentucky and Kansas already knew the deal and stopped recruiting him.

Plus he was being shopped to the highest bidder anyway. He played for a different AAU program every year and went to a different prep school.



:smh:

Not at all bro. The mixtapes have the world fooled. He's talented, but he hasn't put it all together. It's similar to how Skal is. If you watch him in an actual game he disappears a lot and his motor is so so. One thing is he doesn't really have a position. His size limits him. Who does he guard?
Click to expand...
Co-sign to the fullest. And Ben Simmons is more equipped to play the 4 in the NBA right now than Maker is. He doesn't have the strength or the post moves to do it and he's not a really physical player at least not enough to deal with pro big men now. Ultimately he may be better off playing the 3.

I'm surprised that they're claiming that he graduated last summer cause word was that if he did go to college this year he'd have to miss the 1rst semester and be eligible beginning in December.
 
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Complex said:
You're going to have to hope he helps you by year three.

I'd rather take Dunn or Murray. They're more ready to come in and help a team now.
Click to expand...
IMO... Murray and Dunn are no different... Maker, to me, is a blank state... And nothing is more NBA ready than 7' 1" frame with guard skills. This past year... College year and AAU ball aint that much different in terms of talent. To me, Maker has superstar potential... Now I could be wrong and it wouldnt be the first time either... But I believe Thon will shine in the league.
 
y'all missing the point of this

i hope he sues the piss out of the NBA....there is no reason he can't enter the draft
 
I think that the current rule is stupid but whether they allow him in is up for question. If he entered as an international prospect this would be a non issue.
 
He reminds me of a created myPlayer. Dude is going to be a problem in the NBA. Sleep on him if you want to but his length and quickness is like KD's. His outside shot will be a problem for smaller dudes and his quickness will nullify other bigs on the wing.
 
vandamation said:
Thon Maker is the truth... And I think he'll be better than Simmons... I'd take him no.1 right now.
Click to expand...

Not me. :smh:

I’d draft Ben Simmons over Thon Maker… 7 days a week and TWICE on Sundays. :D:yes:

There’s several reasons WHY… but here’s a few quick ones…

1 - Ben Simmons has a MUCH higher basketball IQ than Thon. And it shows. :yes:
2 - And he moves extremely well… WITHOUT… the ball in his hands. :yes:
3 - He can finish well.... with BOTH hands. :yes:

There’s a lot more reasons, but I’ma just stop right there…

Because it means Ben doesn’t have to work as hard as Thon does... to ‘create his own shot off the dribble’… because Ben can STILL score in the NBA just by knowing WHEN to give his defender a ‘head & shoulders fake’…. then cut to the rim… and catch & finish properly with EITHER hand.

Meanwhile, Thon struggles to make layups with his ‘weak hand’. :smh:

Here’s 2 videos…. Watch the BIG DIFFERENCE in the way both of these guys ‘finish at the rim’. (Whether they hit the shot, or not.)

Notice all the ‘wild misses’ that Thon puts up in comparison to Ben. :smh:





Notice: Thon usually plays offense at one speed…. and that’s ‘as Fast as he can’.

He’s got a great motor… and he likes to run ‘full speed’ down the court. :yes:

But Ben has MULTIPLE gears on offense. :yes:

Fast. Slow. Medium. Hesitations. Backdoors. Fade Outs. V-Cuts. Stutter Steps.
Backdowns. L-cuts. Button hooks. Stop-n Go. All kinds of shit. :rolleyes:

And you need 'more than 1 speed' in the NBA if you want to have some longevity. (keyword: longevity :yes:)

This is something that good College Basketball Coaches can teach a player :yes: that cats never really learn in High School. :dunno:

In this scouting video…

Ben Simmons kinda looks like a BIGGER VERSION of Deron Williams, imo. :yes:

In this footage, he’s exactly what Deron Williams would look like…. as a ‘Point Forward’ :yes:… with a physique that’s alot closer to Lebron James.

Just my opinion.

Edit: check out this video to see Ben move without the ball and all his 'intangibles' that he brings. :yes:

 
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Seen that kid play in tourneys out here...

great potential,but def not ready.
 
Thon will need work they're already talking shit about Skal Labissiere as well. Depends on where they try to place him versus what his true position is. Just because he's tall doesn't mean that he's a natural 3 or 4 ie Brad Sellers of the Chicago Bulls in 1986, the 7ft point guard placed at the 4 and 5 because of height and versatility
 
ankhheru said:
He reminds me of a created myPlayer. Dude is going to be a problem in the NBA. Sleep on him if you want to but his length and quickness is like KD's. His outside shot will be a problem for smaller dudes and his quickness will nullify other bigs on the wing.
Click to expand...

KD is a once in a generation player

It takes a lot more than the ability to do something. That's like how numerous people were the next Michael Jordan.

KD was dominant on all levels of basketball, high school, college and the NBA
 

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